Page 6 of Captivating the Countess
Truthfully, she needed to sit down. Her head throbbed from fighting off the near-hysterical spirit trying to breach her barriers. But that poor woman upstairs had to be helped.
And themarquess. If AR was the woman he intended to marry, as rumor had it, he had to be beyond devastated, despite all appearances.
She couldn’t tell from his set expression if he meant to commit murder or suicide.
Three
Araminta had run off—withhis bespectacled, impoverished cousin.
That certainly deflated any arrogance he possessed. Rainford crisply called in men to search for the runaway couple. He needed to be certain that Araminta was safe with a man he had no reason to believe was a fortune-seeking scoundrel. Although his confidence in his judgment of character had developed a few cracks.
He ordered a groom to ride to the train station in Yatesville to verify the pair had left that way, since Davis had no other means of transportation. With no steward to send telegrams to York and London, Rain scribbled his own note to his solicitors in both cities to watch for the arrival of the runaways. He had to trust the groom to carry it to the telegraph station.
The real tragedy in this was that the duke would have heart failure of a certainty once he heard all chance of a wedding was off. Rain gritted his molars and forced himself to consider consequences. The pair had had half a day or longer to make their escape. He didn’t think he could cover it up even if they were found.
With no bride, he had no hope of marrying before his father died. Rain knew the land was entailed to the title, but the fortune was separate. If Rain didn’t marry before he turned thirty-five, his cousin Teddy would inherit the trust holding the funds. Like Rain, his heir would also be required to marry before he turned thirty-five if he wished to maintain control of the funds. Since Teddy was much younger, he’d have plenty of time to build a gothic monstrosity and rob his family and their offspring of their future out of sheer incompetence.
Why was he blaming this chain of events on the quiet wren waiting in his study?
Because she’dknownhis steward would be gone. She’d known and hadn’t warned him.
Retaining his icy control, Rainford returned to the countess.
He’d heard the tale of how she and her twin had cut and dyed their hair to run away from their stepfather a few months back. She was just the sort to encourage another unhappy female to do the same. He’d met Lady Craigmore when she wore brown, short tresses and deceptive servant’s drab, hence his thinking of her as a wren. At the time, he’d regarded her as intriguing but unstable and possibly physically ill, therefore of no interest.
Despite having delivered a catastrophic message, the woman sitting beside his study fire was all prim posture and aristocratic poise, untouched by the chaos she’d generated. She might be wan, but her hair had grown out into a natural gilded brown that somehow glittered like gold in the firelight. Topaz eyes watched him warily over her teacup. The practical traveling gown emphasized a nicely rounded bosom and slender waist.
Rain considered throttling her out of her complacence, but he propped his hip against his desk as if he hadn’t a care in the world. “Will you explain why you’re here, please?”
Long lashes swept upward as she cocked her head to consider him. “The ladies at the School of Malcolms said you were in need of a house steward. My estate needs income more than it needs me. The Earl of Ives assured me yours would be a suitable position. He was most eager to help you out. If we are wrong and have been presumptuous, I’ll be gone on the morrow.”
Rain understood all the twisty connections here, and he might have been grateful—had his steward gone missingbeforeshe left home. “You traveled all the way from Edinburgh to York as a favor to Ives?”
“No, not really.” She continued to study him with those disturbing eyes. “Perhaps you might tell me if the position is open so I know how to respond?”
“I’d like to know how you knew my steward would disappear before he actually did,” he countered.
“Oh. I feared it might be something like that.” She set her cup aside. “My apologies. I did not mean to disturb you with the ladies’ prescience. Even I did not know.”
The ladies’ prescience, of course. He was not directly related to the women running the school, but they were Malcolms, like his father’s family. One never knew if they were privy to undercurrents of gossip that escaped normal people, or if they really saw things others didn’t. How could he counter that declaration?
He gestured for silence while he thought. Amazingly, his guest held her tongue. Recalling the peace he’d sensed when she first entered the house, he considered her quiet presence now. Even though his sisters were still singing and apparently adding a violin to the medley, the countess emanated a composure that allowed him tothink.
Lifting his new hand barbell up and down to calm his churning thoughts, he explained. “Araminta never tried to fit in here, even though she knew this was my home. Admittedly, it’s little better than an insane asylum. I had hoped my sisters might befriend her, but their attempts only bewildered her.”
He’d known all this, but he’d been assured every woman longed to be a wealthy, titled lady. As far as he was concerned, women were from another planet, so he’d accepted the platitude. Nothing in his experience had changed his mind, until now. He tried to sort out what he’d done wrong.
“I assume she’s young?” the countess asked without judgment.
“Just twenty, but old enough to appear sensible.” And produce numerous heirs who would keep Teddy from ever inheriting. He didn’t see a reason to explain this. He wasn’t sure why he was saying anything at all except that he needed a sensible head to balance his senseless frustration. He’d pound his punching bag before he lashed out and hurt anyone.
The countess set down her empty cup. “The young are always more impetuous and passionate than rational. I assume she has a dowry, and the gentleman she ran off with is older and lacking funds?”
Rainford grunted an acknowledgement. “Aye, blame the man, of course. The maternal side of my family is not wealthy, so you’re correct on that count. John has no other means of support except ours, so Araminta’s dowry might be a temptation. Except my father paid for his education. We offered him the position of steward so he could gain experience. He was grateful and performed his task well. He had a good position here. He didn’tneedher dowry. Araminta must have turned his head. Women can do that to a man.”
Hehad never been foolish enough to fall for a pretty face, but Rain had watched it often enough to understand how it happened. A coy laugh, flirtatious smiles, a wink... and a man lost all his brains.
He hadn’t thought Araminta that type. She’d certainly never attempted those ploys with him.
